1. Earth’s Atmospheric Layers

2. Troposphere Distance above sea level: 0-16 km
Average Temperature: -50º to 70º F
All weather happens here.
Warm air rises to form clouds, rain falls.
As altitude increases, temperature decreases. (The higher you go the colder it gets)
Warmed by the ground below

3. Troposphere 80% of the total atmospheric mass
99% of Earth’s water vapor
Air pressure the highest
Layer nearest Earth’s surface
All life exists here. This is where we live!

4. Stratosphere Distance above sea level: 16-50 km
Average temperature: -50º to 0º
Ozone layer located at the top of this layer.
Gets warmer as you go up in the layer: ozone absorbs radiation from the sun, which makes it hotter.
As altitude increases, temperature increases

5. Stratosphere Jets cruise near the bottom of this layer
Less than 20% of the total atmospheric mass
Clear, dry layer
Weather balloons are flown to this layer.

6. Mesosphere Distance above sea level:50-90 km Coldest layer
Average temperature: 0º to -90º F
Gets colder as you go up: decrease in ozone gas
Heated from below (ozone layer)
As altitude increases, temperature decreases
Meteors or shooting stars burn up

7. Mesosphere Less than 1% of the atmospheric mass
Hardest to study since planes can’t fly high enough and satellites can’t fly low enough
Extremely thin air

8. Thermosphere Distance above sea level: 90-300 km
Average temperature: -90º to 120º F
Hottest layer of the atmosphere
Gets warmer as you go up: closer to the sun
As altitude increases, temperature increases
Shimmering curtains of light called auroras happen there

9. Thermosphere Space shuttles orbit at this layer
Less than 1% of the atmospheric mass
Near a vacuum so not enough contact with atoms of gas to transfer much heat

10. Exosphere Distance above sea level: 300-600 km
Average temperature: Extreme highs and extreme lows
Temperature begins to level off
Many satellites orbit at this layer
Less than 1% of the atmospheric mass
Sometimes considered as part of outer space
Air pressure the lowest

11. Layers of the Atmosphere

12. Layers of the atmosphere